Hidden Highlights 05.11.09: Issue #193

Posted by JP Prag on 05.11.2009

Cody Rhodes desperately wants to punish Shane McMahon, Jack Swaggers checks his ring positioning, Santina Marella shows the referee some tender care, Kevin Nash is completely shocked by Kurt Angle, Shelton Benjamin re-buttons his shirt, and more!

Hidden Highlights
By JP Prag

Issue #193

Commentator: Previously, on Hidden Highlights…

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Commentator: Meh. You really weren't that interesting last week. Besides, we are running short on time!

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Commentator: And now, 411mania.com proudly presents…





JP: Hello everyone who is on day 11 of being a vegetarian (of sorts), and welcome back to Hidden Highlights! If you've never been here before, let me tell you what we are doing in these pages.

Hidden Highlights are about the little things that make the product great. They are about showing the positive motions all those involved in wrestling do to make a better show. The Miz may hold his opponents hands down to make a pin attempt better. Charles Robinson may let a little tear shed from his eye every time someone mentions Ric Flair. Mike Tenay may tell you about the 17 year history of a visiting wrestler and make them sound huge in one sentence. These are all examples of little things that make the product far better.

Every week this article spotlights up to the Top 15 Hidden Highlights of the week, whether the be from television (RAW, ECW of SciFi, iMPACT, SmackDown!, and a PPV or television special if there is one), the past, small shows, tapes, or the indy scene.

This article may have an author, but it is also dependent upon the readers and true fans of professional wrestling—those who love what they watch and want to tell the world what they have found. The Top 15 are chosen from what I see and what readers write-in. Whatever is the best is what you'll see!

And who am I? Well, I am JP Prag, and I bring you Hidden Highlights with one goal in mind: to appreciate all those little things that make a huge difference.

Now let's get on with the Hidden Highlights!


Classic Hidden Highlight

JP: We'll kick off this slightly abbreviated edition with a bit of the past coming back to haunt us!

Jeremy from Palmdale: During November 15, 1986 edition of AWA Championship Wrestling, Curt Hennig challenged AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel to a 60 minute match for the title. At one point during the match, Hennig had Bockwinkel in a short arm scissors, and Bockwinkel began slapping the hand of the arm that was locked up in an effort to regain feeling in the hand.

JP: When going for 60 minutes, you have to do something to keep the blood flowing!


Classic Hidden Highlight

JP: Got something else for us?

Jeremy from Palmdale: At another point in that match, Bockwinkel had Hennig in a variation of an Indian Deathlock. He then grabbed the foot of Hennig and began to twist and grind the ankle of Hennig, inflicting even more damage to Hennig while he is being bent in half.

JP: That is some nice extra damage! I really miss catch-as-catch can wrestling at times like this. I have picked up my Best of Starrcade DVD, but have not had the opportunity to watch it yet. It's #1,433 on my list. I really need to stop buying DVDs and downloading old television shows that have not been released.


RAW

JP: See, it was only a little bit of the past. Well, ok, this one technically took place last week, but whatever!

Dave: During the opening video package (highlighting Randy Orton's feud from last week) that ran before the opening pyro, I caught something interesting. It first shows Randy taking out the McMahon family, resulting in him winning at Backlash. It then shows footage from last week, and Randy says these words:

"You don't need to like me, but you have no choice but to respect me"

The interesting thing isn't Randy here. Look at the footage and in the background is Ted DiBiase. Once Randy says these words, Ted clearly looks away to one side (not the side where Cody is standing) and raises his eyebrow. Could just be a mere coincidence, but since there have been many reports on him become a top face in the next few months, I place this under a great piece of foreshadowing.

JP: I've actually been watching Rhodes and DiBiase in the background whenever he goes into those rants that he's the greatest in the world and that nobody can touch him. If you watch them, you'll be sure to note that they NEVER nod in agreement or do anything to back up the statement. Most of the time they look like they are biting their tongues. At some point, it will have to come to a head. Though I hope it happens at a point when the two have credibility.


RAW

JP: We'll see a lot more of Legacy later. Including during this one (though its not about them)

John Madigan: During the Cody Rhodes vs. MVP match on RAW, William Regal was on commentary. He took the time to complain about people that got drafted in place of him. He even mentioned one wrestler that hasn't been on TV in a while: Mr. Kennedy. Do you think Regal might hold a grudge from when Kennedy beat him and got him fired as GM of RAW?

JP: Honestly, I had not thought about it until you brought it up. Now that you said it, it makes perfect sense to me! William Regal wins the… wait… I don't have an award for continuity. Let's give him the Larry Zbyszko Award because it is close enough.


RAW

JP: Later on RAW, Jared from Subway was back, but Santino was not around to steal delicious sandwiches from Jerry Lawler. Instead, he did the special ring announcing for the match between Mickie James and Maryse. While Maryse was making her hair swiping entrance, over in the background Mickie James was not only giving Jared her hat, but putting it on his head! That was awfully nice of her.


RAW

JP: The main even of RAW ended up being a 3-on-1 handicapped match featuring Legacy (Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, and Randy Orton) versus Shane McMahon. Eventually, Legacy gave up on actually trying to win and decided to just destroy Shane McMahon. Why they couldn't do that after winning the match, I can't say. Guess they didn't want to go to the pay window!

Anyway, before crushing Shane's ankle, Orton was yelling at Shane letting him know that he should have just stayed out of his business. Then, you could just hear Cody screech, "Punish him!!!" I thought this was a great little throw-in form Rhodes to show that not only was he paying attention, but was totally caught up in the moment. He didn't just want to beat Shane down; he wanted him to know that getting in their business deserved punishment, literally!


RAW

JP: Of course, the good times had to come to an end when Batista showed up.

bleakdaemon65: During the ending of the Legacy beatdown on Shane McMahon, Randy Orton's escape was genius. With Batista charging down the ramp, you clearly saw Orton duck under the height of the apron as he ran; great attempt at concealing an escape.

JP: The man slithers like a snake out there!


ECW

JP: Over in the land of extreme, the main event (through much shenanigans) turned into Jack Swagger and Mark Henry vs. Christian and Tommy Dreamer. As one point, Swagger was holding dreamer in a front chancery-like maneuver and was keeping Tommy Dreamer away from his corner. Dreamer kept pushing and pushing until he was only a coupe of inches away from being able to make a tag. At that moment, Jack Swagger actually looked behind him, checked his position, and then changed his strategy to keep Dreamer away.

I really like that Swagger decided to look back. Too often guys just change their move because it's that point in the match to do so. Swagger, instead, added a bit of realism to show that he wanted to see where he was and if it warranted a change in strategy. Since he found himself in a precarious situation, the change in his hold made perfect sense.


SuperStars

JP: Leaving the land of extreme and going to land of make believe, Santina Marella teamed up with Kelly Kelly to take on Beth Phoenix and Rosa Mendez. As Santina made her entrance to the ring, she came over to the referee and gave him a loving rub across the referee's face! If this was not good enough, the referee acted perfectly, first looking shocked, then uneasy, and finally pulling Santina's hands away and warning her not to do that again! It was a pretty darn funny sequence that happened in just a couple of seconds.


iMPACT

JP: Over on iMPACT, the Main Event Mafia opened the show with a promo covering… a large number of topics. One of the topics, though, was Angle saying that he cut a deal with Jeff Jarrett to get in the main event of Sacrifice by offering up his position as Godfather of the Main Event Mafia. As I was watching the background at that moment, Kevin Nash suddenly turned, dropped his jaw, and gave a look of utter shock! I about hit the floor laughing at Nash overreacting to the obvious. And yes, I know he was being ironic, which is what made it so good. Even Nash does not completely toe the Main Event Mafia (and especially Angle) line, and this was one of those moments he got to let his "Nash" side shine through.


iMPACT

JP: All that talk eventually led to a main event seeing AJ Styles, Daniels, Somoa Joe, Mick Foley, and Jeff Jarrett team up to take on the entire Main Event Mafia (Sting, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, Booker T, and Kurt Angle). During the match, Don West threw in a line that totally went over Mike Tenay's head. He started to say, "Mike, as someone who has watched and studied more wrestling film that anyone, I just realized…"

Did you catch what West did there? He started the sentence as if he was talking about Mike Tenay (the wrestling professor), but ended it with himself. Don West put the inflection on him, saying that he (Don West) was the true wrestling historian. It was such a subtle slap in the face to Mike Tenay that I had to rewind 3 times to make sure I had caught it right. But sure enough, Don West was saying that he personally has watched and studied more wrestling than anyone. What a clever dig!


SmackDown

JP: Over on SmackDown, the divas were in action as Michelle McCool took on Gail Kim. Now, we've talked ad nausea about Jim Ross saying how Gail Kim has made an "impact" on SmackDown. Heck, he said it twice during this match!

Now this one is not so hidden (go ahead commentary section, tell me how much I don't know how to do my own job nor write my own concept article), but of course you know Michelle won the match with the "Faith Breaker", AKA the Styles Clash. Using AJ's finishing move to take out the "impact" star sent a message to me!

On top of that, the name of the move itself ("Faith Breaker") was an interesting choice. We know McCool wears crosses all over her exposed body, but AJ Styles is well known for his religious convictions. Heck, he even wrestles at those charity church events. So calling the move a "Faith Breaker" may be yet another subtle dig at AJ.


SmackDown

JP: Also on SmackDown, the somehow face John Morrison took on Charlie Haas with Shelton Benjamin in his corner. After defeating Haas, Morrison invited Benjamin to come in the ring and take him on. At first, Benjamin looked inclined to acquiesce to his request, going so far as to start unbuttoning the top of his shirt and his sleeves. Shelton, then, changed his mind and started to walk away. But did you catch what Shelton did as he walked away? He re-buttoned the top his shirt and his sleeves! Since he wasn't going to get in a fight, no need to keep himself disheveled. I was really impressed that Shelton would go to that level of detail. Most guys just stay unbuttoned or what not, but Shelton showed that he was find staying dressed as is.


Well everyone, that wraps up this week's show. Thank you for reading the 193rd ISSUE of Hidden Highlights!

Do you have a Hidden Highlight from this or any week in history that you would like to share? Please e-mail this article at [e-mail] with your thoughts! Send them by Saturday afternoon to be considered! And remember, they can be from any show, live or taped, or any house show, or anything you saw. The best of the best will be featured among the top 15 next week.

In the meantime, be sure to catch my very own Thursday morning news report The Hamilton Ave Journal: the only wrestling news report focused on the business of wrestling.

And don't forget to bookmark 411mania.com and perhaps even make it your home page. You can do that by clicking here!

Until then, you have just experienced the most positive article in all of the IWC: Hidden Highlights!